If Banthas Could Fly
by RebelWolf
Summary: PreROTS:during Clone Wars. Jedi Knights ObiWan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker are on an Outer Rim mission only this mission is not exactly going as planned. Slightly AU.
1. Chapter 1

disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters are owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Pre-ROTS during the Clone Wars

author's note: I REVISED chapter 1 after receiving reviews that the dialogue is hard to follow without more character/name tags. I originally had such then dropped many prior to posting the fic, thinking it slowed the speed of the banter and pace of the fic I wanted. I've re-added them and eventhough I still think it slightly slows the pace I wanted (considering what's going on in these scenes are taking mere minutes or seconds), it does alleviate reader confusion and makes for an easier read. I decided to completely delete the original chapter (and sadly, the reviews went with it) since I also added a little more detail to certain spots where I thought tags just weren't enough or too dull by themselves.

**If Banthas Could Fly...Part 1**

Somewhere in the Outer Rim...

"Anakin! If you pull that stunt ONE more time, I am going to take that starfighter and shove it up your---"

"Master? Is that ANGER I detect in your voice? _Anger leads to the Dark Side_." Anakin replied in his best Yoda impression.

"So does my boot on the backside of your head." Obi-Wan deadpanned.

"Sarcasm or metaphor?"

"You haven't figured the two out yet?"

"You're the brains, I'm the brawn remember?" Anakin reminded his once master though he himself, we plenty intelligent enough. He just tended to rely more on his physical and Force abilities when in active combat.

"What more could I expect from a podracer from Tatooine."

"HEY!"

"Did I hit a sore spot?"

"Just wait until we land. I'll show you sore." Anakin growled.

"Is that a threat my once padawan?"

"Yes SIR! Directly SIR! Wouldn't have it any other way SIR!" Anakin shot back, this time with an impression of a Clone Trooper.

"Well, you need more lightsaber practice anyway. Otherwise, you'll have more scars on that pretty face of yours."

"...hey, you think my face is pretty?" Anakin spoke after a brief moment of thought.

"Pretty ugly."

"You're full of it today aren't you Master?"

"Full of what?" Obi-Wan asked genuinely curious.

"Bantha dung."

"I walked right into that one." Obi-Wan remarked and if he weren't wearing a comm device, he would've smacked his own head.

"Fresh and smelly too. Seeing how we are getting nowhere verbally assulting each other, why don't we place a little wager on our 'differences?'"

"It is unJedi-like to gamble Anakin."

"So is everything else I do. So sue me. Wait, I own nothing so you can't sue me. Regardless, I'm not suggesting gambling, just a hedge-bet of say, dinner at Dex's upon our return to Coruscant?"

"If you win, you'll have to wait. I can't afford your eating habits."

"You saying I eat too much?" Anakin asked.

"You said it, I didn't."

"My eating habits are what make me what I am and what you're not."

"Unhealthy?" Obi-Wan replied.

"You're sick more often than I am Master. I don't eat at Dex's everyday like you do."

"No you don't. You seem to spend more time with say, Senatorial cuisine?"

No response from Anakin. Obi-Wan smirked. He'd won yet another verbal duel against his once-padawan.

Moments later Anakin finally spoke, but his voice was completely serious now.

"Bogeys in atmosphere below...looks like vulture droids. Twenty in lead. Seven in rear...likely armed with Buzz-droids."

"Perhaps we're onto Grievous again."

"Or we're simply excavating yet another one of his abandoned hiding holes."

"What's wrong Anakin, you don't like mucking through knee-high mud and sewage?"

"Leave your hobbies to yourself."

"Better than sand?" Obi-Wan pushed.

"Anything is better than sand."

"Even dung?"

"Even dung with dead rotting corpses in it. At least it all comes off. Sand doesn't." Anakin added in elaboration.

"Perhaps, but I think your stench would be offensive to a _certain_ Senator."

"Do you always go there?" Anakin nearly whined.

"It shuts you up doesn't it?"

"..."

"My point exactly." Obi-Wan responded to himself as he watched the younger Jedi Knight's starfighter dip and slide into the lead. "What are you doing?"

"I know how much you hate flying. I figured I'd take all these off your hands. I'd be doing so regardless anyway."

"But shouldn't we formulate a plan first?"

"My starfighter only seats one. If yours is shot to pieces, what will you be flying home in?" Anakin shot back.

"You assume too much."

"And you assume too little."

"Guess it's what makes us the perfect team eh?" Obi-Wan muttered as he watched his once wingmate turned lead open his winglets and opened fire upon the approaching droid ships.

Seconds later, Obi-Wan was thrust into the heat of fire himself. Suddenly something yellow smacked his cockpit window. "What was THAT?" Arfour beeped an answer. It was one of Anakin's starfighter winglets. "Oh, this is going well." Obi-Wan sarcastically replied to himself before switching over his comm. "Anakin, missing something?"

"Ooops."

"Ooops? Is that a good ooops or a I'm-in-deep-dung-ooops-but-not-going-to-admit-it-oops?" Obi-Wan asked quickly with concern lining his voice.

"Hang on. I'll get back to you on that."

"Don't tell me to hang on! You could be vaporized in a millisecond! Do you wish me to assist?" Obi-Wan yelled into the comm, a hint of desperation in his voice despite all his efforts to remain calm. Anakin had a way of 'forcing' emotions out of the usually stoic, impassive Jedi Master.

"Uhhh...I suppose. I have a few, well, technical difficulties at this point in time."

"How technical?"

"Losing starboard hydraulics. Artoo can't seem to compensate for all the damage."

"How'd you manage this to occur?"

"Lecture later. Just get these last few tri-fighters from shooting off the rest of my damaged wing!" Anakin replied with a sense of urgency within his tone.

"Tri-fighters? I thought you said they were just----"

"I said _looks like_, I didn't confirm tha---"

Obi-Wan growled. There were some things his ex-padawan just didn't seem to want to learn and some things the Jedi Master just didn't feel like constantly reminding him of. Hitting the thrusters on his own starfighter, Obi-Wan edged into a decent firing angle for the three on Anakin's tail. He cleared two. The third peeled off before he could vaporize it.

"You missed one."

"And thank you to you too."

"I didn't---"

"That fighter is your LIFE Anakin...try not to get it shot up anymore." Obi-Wan remarked with a grin. This was his modified lecture from the lightsaber one he'd repeated to Anakin so often that it nearly seemed like a daily prayer.

Obi-Wan grinned to himself when he heard a low growl through the communicator. He then noticed Anakin stand his fighter onto its port wing. "What are you doing Anakin?"

"Flying. My starboard hydraulics are now gone. Sideways flies best...I guess."

"You guess or you hope?"

"I'll get back to you on that. Oh, and watch out behind you. That last fighter is on your ass now."

"Oh, is that all? No problem. This is where the FUN begins." Obi-Wan replied, doing his own version of an Anakin-impression. He then flipped his fighter into a gentle looping roll, allowing the tri-fighter to see Anakin's limping ship. It was easier prey than the one it had just targeted. Sure enough, the tri-fighter left Obi-Wan alone and went in for the easy kill of the other Jedi starfighter.

"I'm BAIT?" Anakin shot into the comm as his warning sensors and Artoo blared the presence of the tri-fighter targeting his own ship now.

"Sure are. 'Bout time you saw it from that side for once." Obi-Wan said through a strained voice as his fighter went into a sharp arc and realigned itself to the rear of the tri-fighter. He could hear Anakin muttering a string of not-so-Jedi-like words through the comm. Before replying to his slightly ticked off partner, Obi-Wan vaporized the remaining tri-fighter. "Now, what was that Anakin? Could you repeat? Over."

"It's nothing I'd wish to repeat Master."

"I didn't think so. Now, what's that score again? I think I'm getting closer to your 'save' score."

"Fine, fine. Look, I owe you dinner at Dex's okay. Now, can we focus on the mission at hand?" Anakin's anxious voice returned. He wanted to land. He wanted to fix his ship. And most of all, he wanted some action and adventure. All of which were on the planetary surface below.

"Don't like it much when the situation is reversed do you...Chosen One...Hero With No Fear?"

"Shut up Negotiator before I put your ship in a similar state."

"That would be friendly fire and a criminal offense Anakin."

"All's fair in war Master."

And for once, Anakin may have won a verbal duel against his former Master.

"Obi-Wan, can you lead me down? I have a slight cockpit issue here."

"And what is a 'slight' cockpit issue?"

"Smoke is filling the cockpit. I guess the wires are burning through the main casings within the frame itself." Anakin replied as his voice muffled due to the application of a protective gas mask.

"Try not to mess up that ship anymore Anakin. Or you'll be walking home."

"Tell me something I DON'T KNOW!"

"Okay...you don't know the difference between sarcasm and a metaphor." Obi-Wan replied calmly.

"You're NOT helping here!"

"Sure I am. The more distracted you are, the better you seem to be flying that wreck." Obi-Wan calmly replied.

"I'd like to see you enter atmosphere sideways with a partially unresponsive ship and a smoke-filled cockpit."

"I wouldn't even try."

"Exactly."

Moments later, Obi-Wan was beside his partner. He flared his landing lights and proximity beacons so Anakin could have view of his fighter through the smoke-filled cockpit.

"What? No line about using the Force?" Anakin shot into the comm as the sudden silence was proving unnerving and suggesting that the situation was all too serious for his own liking.

"Redundant. If you're not in the Force at this time, you'd be a burning scrap heap in a billion pieces right now."

As the atmosphere and gravity of the planet tugged and pulled on his faltering ship, Anakin folded down the remaining winglets. The ship immediately rattled its protest, as did Artoo. "Artoo...it can't be helped. The vibrations were going to shake us apart. Yes, I KNOW we are unstable. We were like that already. Just focus on keeping the last remaining functions running."

Land drew ever nearer when Obi-Wan decided it was time for a plan. "How exactly are you going to land that? The landing gear won't work very well if you're sideways and---"

"I'll flip it at the last moment and belly it. So let's find someplace relatively soft so more pieces don't fall off. Landing gear won't work anyway. That system is down."

"Any more systems you need to tell me about that were neglected before?"

"Yeah, I really need to take a leak."

"I wasn't asking about YOUR systems."

"You weren't exactly specific." Anakin groaned.

"Details. Details. Look, I see a patch of grassland that is far enough from our ground target. We'll land there then find other means to continue our mission."

"I can't look. I see nothing but haze and that blinking pale white light on your ship's ass-end."

"You sure that blinking pale white light isn't your runway to the afterlife?" Obi-Wan asked inquisitively.

"Can't be. You're still here."

"Just checking."

Land ahead...I'll count down the distances. What point do you wish me to call 'flip?'"

"At a height our starfighters are long." Anakin replied in his typical racer mentality. Anakin rarely used exact numbers in his measurements. They always seemed to be visual comparisons of something. Racers didn't have time to take down numbers or exact measurements. And neither did starfighter pilots bringing down a screaming, barely controllable, injured ship.

"Roger that.Calculating now. Stay tuned for my cue."

Seconds later...

"On my mark nooowwww...FLIP!"

Anakin immediately fought and forced his fighter onto its normal upright position. A mere second later, its belly smeared across the ground beneath it. Obi-Wan hovered to a soft landing once Anakin's ship slid to a complete stop. Both exited their cockpits simultaneously and walked over to the damaged side of Anakin's fighter. Artoo popped himself out and beeped. He sounded 'relieved' to be out of his little pod in the fighter for once.

"I can fix most of it." Anakin said as he surveyed the damage.

"Most? Not all?"

"I can't exactly fish that winglet out of space now can I?"

"I suppose not."

"I can rewire and realign the hydraulic lines...feed the port and starboard sides so that they cross reference each other." Anakin remarked with the professional tone of a seasoned professional mechanic.

"That works? It won't short the port out?"

"I'm not sure. But, it's the best solution I have. I don't exactly see a repair bay anywhere here."

"And you thought I'd be the one with the crippled ship."

"Fine, I'll scratch that line from useage...for now. Your ship is still a piece of junk. Why don't you requisition a newer one?" Anakin replied as he sought a change in subject.

"I"m used to ol' Betty here."

Anakin quirked an eyebrow. "Ol' Betty?"

"Ancient tradition...naming fighters after females. I would guess yours to be...say...Padme, though she seems a bit more roughed up than she usually is?"

Anakin raised a finger in warning. What he really wanted to say is 'You've never seen Padme after a round of intense lovemaking,' but he kept that entirely to himself. Instead, he changed the subject and focused on Artoo. "Artoo...stay with the ship. Keep the comm on and if I give you code 5, initiate the homing beacon."

This time Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Homing beacon?"

"You said I might have to walk home. I'd prefer a ride if possible."

"Not so sure of your mechanical repair abilities are you?" Obi-Wan replied in Yoda-like fashion.

"Totally sure of my mechanical skills, just not sure of the ship's ability to hold together. I don't have enough plexi-tape to bind the whole thing together."

"Plexi-tape?"

"Hey, it held one of my podracer's engines together once and at max speed mind you."

"And how did you fare in that race?"

"Crashed into a Bantha."

"Crashed into a BANTHA?" Obi-Wan responded, the surprise in his voice very evident.

"Guts all over. Wasn't pretty. I'd rather not talk about it."

Obi-Wan shook his head. There was no end to the strangeness of his partner and once-padawan! Obi-Wan opened his ship's storage hatch and gathered some gear. Anakin did the same.

"I saw an abandoned Republic outpost northeast of here...within walking distance. We'll go there first."

"Could be a trap." Anakin commented.

"Always a trap. And what do we always do with traps?"

"Spring them." Anakin answered with no thought whatsoever.

"Like a Corellian mouse to Alderaanian cheese."

"I hate Alderaanian cheese."

"I know you do Anakin. Bad comparison?"

"Yes."

"Your turn then." Obi-Wan said as the two Jedi began their trek through the grassland and into forest cover.

"I can't think right now. I need to do something I just remembered I had to do. Excuse me a moment." Anakin replied as he suddenly remembered a certain bodily need. He walked a short distance away and found suitable shrubbary. Obi-Wan only shook his head and waited.

Suddenly Obi-Wan heard the distinctive hum of a lightsaber igniting. Immidiately he charged in Anakin's direction.

Upon reaching Anakin, he found the Jedi Knight straddled atop some being, his lightsaber to its neck.

"Anakin?"

At the sound of Obi-Wan's voice, Anakin disengaged and switched his lightsaber off. He then grabbed the being by its clothing near its neck and hoisted it to a standing position. Using his greater physical stregth and size, he powered the being towards a tree and pinned it. "Now...WHO are you and why did you attack me?" he asked gruffly.

The helmeted being gasped and struggled.

"Not a talker eh? Fine, I can answer my own question." Anakin replied as he continued to pin the being with a leg and his mechanical hand while freeing up his flesh hand. He then undid the straps to the helmet and forcefully removed it. A human female was revealed, not much older than himself.

Obi-Wan whistled. "What is it with you and females Anakin?"

Dropping the helmet and stripping her of her armed utility belt, Anakin then released her, but didn't give her enough distance to escape. "I ask again, WHO are you?"

"Just a bounty hunter. My name's not important. You're the Jedi, Skywalker?"

"What's it to you? You sent to assissinate me?"

"Hardly. I was sent to FIND you. And the other Jedi there must be General Kenobi?"

"Do you delight in jumping a Jedi as he tries to relieve himself?" Anakin sternly asked out of curiousity.

"You were in a vulnerable situation. Always best to deal with quarry at their weakest moments." the bounty hunter replied and very nearly with a suggestive wink. She kept the wink in check however. These were Jedi, not some usual ruffian or easy-catch wayward pilot. Her seductive charms wouldn't even be noticed by the Republic's elite peace keepers.

"See Obi-Wan, a Jedi can't even piss in peace these days!"

"I told you that you should've went when we stopped for fuel at that last space depot."

" I didn't have to go then."

"Of course not. You had to buy that tankard of Naboonian water. You had to go after drinking that entire thing correct?"

"I was thirsty and I happen to like Naboonian water. Is that a crime?"

"No crime. Just eerie coincidence." Obi-Wan commented with a suggestive tone that he was actually talking about something else.

"Don't start."

"Then don't continue."

Meanwhile, the female bounty hunter couldn't believe that these two hooligan Jedi were actually the legendary Kenobi and Skywalker..scourge to the Separatists and two-man army responsible for tilting the war back in the Republic's favor.

_to be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters are owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Pre-ROTS during the Clone Wars

**If Banthas Could Fly...Part 2**

"Ahem?" It was all the female bounty hunter could come up with that might halt the bickering of the two Jedi and return their attentions to her. Her patience was wearing thin.

Anakin was about to fire another verbal salvo at his once master but closed his mouth before a single word exited. His steely blue eyes trained slowly back towards their 'guest' as an inquisitive brow raised.

Obi-Wan looked at Anakin then the bounty hunter then returned to Anakin again. "Did I miss something?"

"Apparently we both did." Anakin replied. He knew first-hand what it was like to face a woman scorned, but it was something he'd likely not share with his comrade anytime soon.

"Yes, as I was saying...I came seeking your assistance."

"And your name is?" Anakin asked again. He knew full well that the question had already arose earlier, but he couldn't resist the teasing potential. The feminine being standing before him reminded him of Padme perhaps so much so that he slipped into his 'Padme-teasing persona' without even being aware of it.

"Feh'ler. There are you satisfied Mr. Jedi?"

"And you're from?" Anakin continued.

"I'm a BOUNTY HUNTER. It doesn't matter where I'm from!" Feh'ler replied, her patience wearing ever thinner. Were these two really the living Jedi legends Kenobi and Skywalker? "Aren't you Jedi supposed to be able to read minds or something? If you can, then you already know all these answers."

"Anakin is slow sometimes Ms. Bounty Hunter Feh'ler." Obi-Wan jested.

At that very split second and with the speed of a starship in hyperspace, Anakin twumped Obi-Wan on the backside of the head with his mechanical hand. "Was that slow enough for you Master?"

Sporting a newfound headache and rubbing the developing nob under his hair, Obi-Wan gave Anakin a stern look before calmly replying. "You had it coming."

"So did you. I was merely asking the lady some questions. Is that such a problem that you have to take cheap shots at me?"

"AHEM!"

"Ah yes, we are sidetracked again aren't we? Terribly sorry Ms. Feh'ler." Obi-Wan replied with a slight bow then yet another stern look back at his once Padawan.

Anakin rolled his eyes then returned his attention back to the bounty hunter. In actuality, their little immature ploy was to root out any possibility that this bounty hunter was simply there to assissinate them or set a trap rather than seek their help. Bounty hunters had very little time or desire for antics and stupidities. Time was money. Jedi knew this very well and played upon it.

"So what is it you need our assistance with and what's in it for you?" Anakin asked matter-of-factly. Having been a child slave on Tatooine taught him a thing or two about one-sided negotiations such as this.

"Free my world from the Separatist droid army led by its hideous, hacking leader."

"GRIEVOUS!" Obi-Wan and Anakin shouted in excited unison. So they were on the wrong track afterall and by a strange twist of fate, a bounty hunter may set them upon the right track.

"I see I struck a chord with you two eh? Well then I'll answer the next question you may have...why you two? Because I know no other Jedi who can stand up to that fiend. What's in it for me? My world back...family, friends, and my homebase. I may be a bounty hunter, but even bounty hunters have lives outside of their jobs."

"We need to go through proper channels...the Jedi Council---"Obi-Wan mentioned as he rubbed the beard upon his chin.

"There's no time to go through proper channels! I would've done so if that was possible! Grievous will slaughter the people on my planet, blow up every bit of it into charred rubble, then go hide his white tin ass somewhere else and do the same to whatever helpless beings are there!" Feh'ler interrupted. She noted that if Anakin weren't human,but rather a being with ears atop his head they would be in full erect alert state. His eyes showed excited interest and he was extremely attentive, a trait he was usually lacking. Apparently her reports of him were true...the young Jedi Knight enjoyed an adventurous, nearly impossible challenge...or was it that he was a rare Jedi who thrived on lust for battle and mayhem? But he still seemed to bow to rank. His head was now turned towards Obi-Wan, awaiting the decision from the Jedi Master and General of one of the finest divisions of clone troopers.

"What viable proof do you have to make us believe this is true and not some ruse to trap us for a large payment in our capture or death?" Obi-Wan responded.

"Master, this present mission is all but in the bag. In fact, we could even call in a single mid-rank padawan to complete it. We now know Grievous is not here. We have the excess resources to---"

Obi-Wan abruptly cut Anakin off. "I will not put troops or resources, which includes ourselves in harm's way without viable proof of cause." Then turning back to Feh'ler, he continued. "And another thing, how is it you slipped by all the enemy ships, landed on this planet unnoticed, and found us?"

Anakin was suddenly taken aback! He hadn't considered that. But then again, he could've cared less. He could've done the same if he really wanted to, but he loved action and fighting too much to not pass up an opportunity to blast a few more Separatists or droids into oblivion.

"I have proof, holonet recordings. And as for me getting here to you, while I'd love to say it's a bounty hunter's secret, it is also what I have to offer you in exchange for your services. My ship has an invisibility cloaking device. Stealth concept fellas...the latest and greatest. It's yours if you liberate my planet. I'm sure your side could use any advantage it can get in this war correct?"

Anakin's jaw nearly dropped to the ground with drool following closely behind. The ex-podracer simply enjoyed all things latest, greatest, and upgradable in regards to machinery, especially if it had to do with flying machinery.

Still, Obi-Wan seemed unconvinced. "And how did you get your hands on such a sought after and rare device?"

"I stole it. I'm a bounty hunter remember?"

"From whom did you steal it?"

"Not really your business."

"We Jedi don't deal in stolen goods."

Off to the side Anakin seemed to be in some sort of stunned shock--like a child who had just been stripped of his favorite toy for no apparent reason at all.

"Don't worry, its previous owner is dead now. His grimy ass wasn't any use to the galaxy anyway and definitely wasn't on your side of this war. You might say I did the Republic a service by getting rid of him. Another bounty hunter though...by the name of Fett has been dogging me for this device for several months now. I'd rather it be in more protective hands such as yours, Jedi."

"Fett?" Obi-Wan said with an unusual air of emotion for his usually calm demeanor.

"Did I strike another chord with you two? I must be on a roll today. I only know him by that name and that strange ship of his and his armor...Mandalorian for sure. I assume he's related to the now dead Jango Fett and it is Jango's ship he uses, but that's about all I know of him."

"Midi-chlorian?" Anakin asked. Okay, maybe he wasn't as attentive as previuosly thought.

"MANDALORIAN YOU NERF!" Feh'ler shot back before Obi-Wan could do the honors.

Obi-Wan smiled. "I dare say you read my mind Ms. Feh'ler. I was about to say something like that. Are you sure you haven't had any Jedi training?"

"I'm not a nerf." Anakin replied quietly with a tone of hurt humor to his voice.

"Keep letting that hair grow on your head and you'll pass for a skinny, underfed one." Obi-Wan added.

Anakin shrugged it off. He was more interested in the cloaking device. He already imagined his starfighter with one and him shocking the living hell out of any foe he might encounter. Heck, he could shock the heck out of friendlies too! A device like that would work wonders for the greatest pilot in the known galaxy! "May we see your ship and this device in action as proof of your conditions?"

"Now hold on Anakin, I'm in charge of---" Obi-Wan shot in, but was interrupted again.

"The mission. I know. I got it. Point taken. But, you said we need verfications correct? We also need a HoloNet projector for that _other_ proof anyway. So, what better than to see her ship and all proofs in one shot?"

"And you need to fix your ship that was hit with _one shot_. Any more wise ideas?"

Now it was Feh'ler's turn to become curious. "Anakin Skywalker, the greatest pilot of all...has a broken ship?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Sure you do Anakin." Obi-Wan chided.

"No, I don't."

"Not even about the tri-fighter that shot off your winglet causing your hydraulic sys---" Obi-Wan pressed.

"I SAID I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT!"

"Touchy, touchy." Obi-Wan responded before changing the subject. "Now, here's my plan of action." Obi-Wan continued when he was assurred his once-Padawan, now pouting Jedi Knight would remain silent as he discussed the plan he had formulated.

Anakin grumbled and groaned and whined to himself all the way back to his ship. He would not get to see the neato cloaking device. He would not get to see the HoloNet info, but would be briefed on it later. He would not even get to help coordinate the initial plan of action. All he could do was fix his ship as ordered. It was punishment for his actions earlier, that he was sure. He knew Obi-Wan all too well and remembered his punishments during his days as his Padawan. Granted his ship had to be fixed, but it was beside the point. As the only other Jedi involved, he thought it was vital he knew all the same information as his partner.

Artoo beeped a welcome to his human friend.

"Not now Artoo. We have to fix this thing." Anakin grumbled as he stroked his mechancial hand over the wounded metal of the starfighter. With a groan of disgust at himself, Anakin reached into the utility compartment and pulled out his tool kit then began to open the fighter's damaged paneling to reveal the wiring he'd have to fix and burned parts he'd have to resodder, rewire, and reconnect.

After a couple of hours passed and he'd completed much of the wiring, Anakin began to wonder about his partner. "Artoo, has Obi-Wan reported in yet?"

Artoo beeped a negative.

"Hmm, not like him to not check in." Anakin muttered as he grabbed the comm from his utility belt. He was about call Obi-Wan himself when a ship shuddered just above him from out of nowhere. Anakin hit the ground and drew his lightsaber, muttering a curse word or two about how he hated surprises, especially ones with blasters attached.

But the ship didn't fire. Instead, it yawed to his right and gently settled to a graceful landing. Obi-Wan emerged followed by Feh'ler.

"You said you wanted to see it in action and I needed a lift back here so Feh'ler obliged. " Obi-Wan spoke, surpressing a chuckle at his friend's unamused state of defense, but was actually failing to remain composed.

"I oughta shove this up your----" Anakin replied as he got to his knees with his lightsaber still activated and now pointing threateningly at the elder Jedi. Upon seeing Feh'ler, he deactivated it and thought better of his words.

"Wow, who taught you how to fly?" Feh'ler teased Anakin as she looked over his banged up starfighter.

"He's an ex-podracer." Obi-Wan answered.

"That says it all then." Feh'ler replied. She found that she could get along quite well with these two Jedi. Maybe the space rumor mill was wrong about the usually stuffy, composed, dull, boring, nerdish Jedi Order. Perhaps there was hope that a few of them had personalities of their own...a rare few at that, but still enough for hope.

Anakin growled and shot an evil glare at both of them as he stood and returned to his job of repairing his starfighter. He was being insulted from all fronts and he wasn't enjoying it in the least.

"The sooner you fix that thing, the sooner we get this new mission in play." Obi-Wan jested then had to use the Force to stop a wrench from smacking him in the head. "Turnabout is fair play my friend!" Obi-Wan shot back as he casually walked over and placed the wrench back in Anakin's tool kit. Usually the situation was reversed and it was Obi-Wan's fighter that was banged up. And usually, it was Anakin doing all the teasing about it. This was a rare reversal indeed and Obi-Wan was not about to squander it and teach this young Jedi Knight yet another unlearned lesson--if you can dish it, you'd better be able to take it as well.

Feh'ler's larger ship had supplies and parts that she willingly gave up in assistance to the legendary Jedi Knight named Skywalker. She was a damn good mechanic herself, but knew better than to offer assistance to a mechanic who was even better than she. So as Anakin continued the repairs, she and Obi-Wan sat upon a flattened rock outcropping and looked over maps and details of her planet.

_to be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters are owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Pre-ROTS during the Clone Wars

_Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay. Real life and the fact it is SUMMER here in the USA causes these occasional delays in my works, especially this time of year, I'm outdoors and active rather than indoors around my computer. Therefore, my fic writing and site updating slow down drastically. But without further adieu, here's part 3._

**If Banthas Could Fly...Part 3**

Within a few hours, one dirty, oil-smeared Jedi Hero emerged from surgery of his ship's inner confines. He casually strolled over to his two idling companions, wiping his real hand with a rag and regloving his mechanical one.

"There's a bug on you Master." Anakin spoke as he flicked an oil smeared finger across Obi-Wan's forehead, leaving a purposely left oil smear.

"I can get my own bugs thank you."

"If you have your own bugs, then please remind me to keep my distance from you. I do not wish to have any bugs of my own." Anakin retorted.

Feh'ler stifled a giggle. The famed Jedi Master fell right into that one so quickly that she began to wonder exactly who was the brains of this pair.

"You need a bath Anakin. You smell and look like Bantha poodoo."

"Is that so? Care to join me?" Anakin replied with a seductive raised brow to his once mentor. Feh'ler immediately wondered what kind of Order the Jedi really were. In truth though, it was merely Anakin's way of trying to humiliate his former master into embarrassment.

With a stern clearing of his throat, Obi-Wan changed the subject. "So is that contraption you call a starfighter going to fly?"

"She may be a bit broken, but I guarantee she can still fly rings around your heap, Master."

"Then lets be on our way. And if yours breaks down, it's solely your problem. Got it?"

"Yes, oil-streaked one." Anakin replied with a mocking salute that he slid a hand in front of his own forehead without touching it.

"You streaked me didn't you."

"It took you this long to realize it? You're slipping in your old age Master."

"One of these days, Anakin...one of these days."

"But not today...and probably not tomorrow either. And definitely wasn't yesterday." Anakin counted as he joined the other two walking back to their respective ships. Feh'ler rather enjoyed the friendly comraderie the two Jedi had. In her own mind, she wished bounty hunters were the same.

Anakin's ship didn't protest as it became airborne. It almost seemed normal aside from its slight instability due to the missing panel on one of its wings. He remained behind and slightly starboard to Obi-Wan's own ship as they followed Feh'ler out of atmosphere and into space once again.

"We'll need to do a jump." Feh'ler commented.

"Right. We need to alter trajectory to acquire our hyperspace rings." Obi-Wan replied.

"Ahh yes, I forgot your ships aren't equipped with hyperdrive systems. I'll wait here." Feh'ler responded as she slowed her ship and assumed a stationary position while Obi-Wan and Anakin peeled off in a port arc.

"I think she likes you Master." Anakin shot in as they approached their rings.

"I think you're thinking un-Jedi-like thoughts again. A Jedi cannot---"

"Oh don't start that one again. I was merely teasing! You're rather dull at times, you know that Master?"

"And if I named everything you are, we'd still be here tomorrow."

"No need to. I already know I'm handsome, charming, intelligent, courageous, heroic, sexy as..."

"Bantha poodoo." Obi-Wan interrupted with a chuckle. Anakin did not get that chance to clean up prior to their departure and it was perfect opportunity for Obi-Wan to remind him of such.

"HEY!" Anakin shot back then both quieted as they concentrated on mating their starfighters to the hyperdrive rings before angling back towards Feh'ler's waiting ship.

Once Feh'ler confirmed that all were ready, she sent the two Jedi the coordinates for the hyperspace jump and the trio of ships left nothing in their wake.

What seemed like moments later, the trio emerged out of hyperspace into another star system. Almost immediately the starfighters' warning claxons sounded.

"By the stars!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as he quickly dodged a laser barrage. His hyperspace ring, however, wasn't so lucky. It blew up around him.

Anakin dislodged his own ring and slipped beneath Obi-Wan, barely averting the other's unexpected maneuver and the explosion. Once clear of Obi-Wan's ship, Anakin immediately shot his ship in the direction of the laser fire. The wounded ship didn't quite respond as beautifully as it usually did, but it managed to bolt and weave as needed due to the extraordinary skills of its pilot and astromech droid.

"I have visual. Over." Anakin called professionally.

"Identify." Obi-Wan replied.

"You're never gonna believe this." Anakin replied then continued. " I think your old friend has returned to play."

"My old friend!"

"It's the _Slave I."_

Over the comm Anakin could hear Feh'ler gasp and Obi-Wan sigh. But he had no time to reply. Laser fire was aimed directly at him and the nimble ship once owned by Jango Fett matched every jink and jerk Anakin could use. The pilot was damn good...Anakin gave him that much. Anakin swore under his breath as he wished his own ship was 100, but it wasn't. He'd have to make due with what he had. At least he had Fett's complete attention and kept it off his two companions. Looking around, Anakin sought anything that could assist and turning the tide. His starfighter would dance and slink indefinitely. The temporary repairs Anakin had made weren't meant for hostile combat maneuvers and there was no telling when they would give under the extreme moves Anakin was currently making. Before he could spot an opportunity, laser fire spat in from behind him, nearly grazing his own ship.

"Obi-Wan! You're not helping here!" Anakin shot over the comm.

"Oh? And you being fried bits of goo is something you planned for today?"

"Well no but--"

"Return to Feh'ler. I have this."

"Now waitaminute...I'm the ---"

"THAT IS AN ORDER ANAKIN!"

"Yes, master." Anakin replied softly as he peeled his ship away from the action.

As Anakin approached Feh'ler's position, he suddenly realize she wasn't there. Was she using the stealth system or was she in on this attack? Anakin's pondering was cut short when yet another warning sound followed by several warning lights animated the cockpit.

"Artoo, can we fix that?"

The droid beeped a worried negative. Anakin swore then grinned. Leave it to old Obi-Wan to save his ass! If this had happened while in the midst of the engagement, Anakin would probably be dead by now.

"Artoo, give me landing coordinates. We can't stay like this." Anakin replied to his trusty droid before switching frequencies. He found Obi-Wan's private channel. "Master, I must make an emergency landing. Sending coordinates now." He said and didn't expect a reply. Obi-Wan had his hands full as is.

With the little starfighter shuddering and jolting in protest, Anakin limped his ship into the gravitational pull of the nearest planet. Clearing the cloudline, he suddenly realized he had even less control of the ship in atmosphere. The fighter's speed increased and the vibrations did so exponentially. Anakin's vision was blurred by all the shaking and his real hand throbbed in pain from the strength it had to maintain on the control yoke. He couldn't even speak to his droid. He words would shake into unrecognizable jibberish. Trusting his guts, he saw blue and tried to aim his ship between it and the beige land beside it.

The starfighter screeched as it skirted the water in a controlled slide towards the shore. The friction slowed the fighter down somewhat, but not before its forked nose dug deeply into soft shoreline. The fighter flipped tail over nose and came to a rest upside down...and buried in sand. The impact knocked Anakin unconscious and damaged Artoo, who popped out of his socket in the wing and thunked headfirst into the ground below.

Meanwhile back in space...

"Ugghhhh, this is WHY I HATE FLYING!" Obi-Wan muttered for the umpteenth time as he juked and jinked in and out of laser fire. He couldn't get the image of Jango Fett out of his mind as the pilot of the Slave I's skills matched his own. But it couldn't be Jango flying. Jango was dead. Feh'ler's words then resounded. This was a Fett and the only Fett Obi-Wan remembered other than Jango was his unaltered clone son, Boba. Quick math told him Boba was a teen now. Could it be possible Boba had already matched his father's skills at such a young age? There was a reason why Jango was selected as the 'father' of the clone troopers. Perhaps Boba was a bit of a prodigy for bounty hunters in a similar way Anakin was to the Jedi? Suddenly Obi-Wan's mind drifted to his former padawan. The last he'd heard from him was the comm about an emergency landing an the beeping of Arfour stating receipt of the landing coordinates. Seeking Anakin's telltale signature within the Force, Obi-Wan only found void. This momentary second of shock was enough for a well aimed laser blast to contact Obi-Wan's fighter. Sent spinning, Obi-Wan's ship lurched planetward and was suddenly grasped by the planet's gravitational pull. He was going in for a landing whether he was ready for one or not.

"Arfour, adjust trajectory! We're going in too hot! The atmosphere will blow us to bits!"

The red astromech droid beeped a response and began to correct the ship's angle. The beeps almost sounded sarcastic.

"You're hanging around Artoo too much Arfour." Obi-Wan muttered as he began making adjustments within the cockpit. The laser blast had knocked out his primary physical navigational systems. Arfour was compensating by using some of the ship's other maneuvering systems, but it was like steering a raging rancor with two reeks upon it. In more simplistic terms, Kenobi was falling out of the sky like a doomed meteor.

While trying to deal with the situation at hand, Arfour beeped again. This time a bit more cheery. He'd been scanning for the other Jedi fighter while trying the keep the fighter flying.

"You found it?"

An affirmative beep.

"Can we land anywhere near it?"

Arfour gave a sarcastic whistle.

"Okay, then can we CRASH anywhere near it?"

Arfour didn't respond but Obi-Wan did feel the adjustments to the ship as Arfour activated several breaking thrusters. Then there was silence aside from the screeching whistle of the ship slicing through the atmosphere. Arfour had cut the engines. They were now gliding. Obi-Wan said nothing and could feel the ship being maneuvered by his little droid. Emergency air braking flaps, more auxilliary thrusters, and a rise of the fighter's nose. The astromech droid was slowing the ship by using the friction of air and allowing it to glide at the same time. It was a dead-stick landing...something every pilot except perhaps Anakin, feared. But Obi-Wan didn't exactly fear it. He didn't really fear anything. He had faith and trust in his astromech droid's abilities to fly the ship. But nonetheless, he still hated flying.

As they sunk and the ground loomed ever nearer, Obi-Wan could make out a faint, small smoke trail lifting into the air in the distance. He assumed it was the location of Anakin's starfighter.

In a similar manner as Anakin's landing, Arfour utilized the relative softness of the water to ease and slow the ship's careening and inevitable crash. But unlike Anakin, Arfour remained in the water as long as possible only shifting the ship at the last moments, into the shoreline and dry land. Obi-Wan's ship dragged to a halt just beyond the crashing waves of the shoreline.

"Nice job Arfour." Obi-Wan commented as he popped the canopy open and lept out. "Stay with the ship until I say otherwise." he commanded his droid as he scanned the area. The little trickle of smoke was still evident and very close by. He immediately broke into a run in its direction and could see the familiar shape of the Jedi fighter in the not-so-far distance. He squinted in the sunlight to get a better view. He couldn't tell if the ship was upright or upside down. The Eta-2's design was such that top and bottom looked nearly identical. Once close enough, Obi-Wan's eyes went wide as he noticed the only tell tale sign of the ship's position...its engines...and they weren't facing the bottom like they should be. This meant there was no way Anakin could release the canopy since the ship was upside down!

Scrambling to the fighter, Obi-Wan used the Force to slide Artoo sideways away from the ship. Then, concentrating in the Force deeply and raising both his hands gradually, Obi-Wan lifted Anakin's starfighter and rolled it in midair. He then gently set it back down onto the ground in its proper upright position. Finding the manual panel outside the ship, Obi-Wan pulled on a lever that released the canopy from the outside. Anakin was still strapped in and unconscious.

"Hey...Anakin? Can you hear me? Anakin? Wake up!" a concerned Obi-Wan asked as he gently tapped on the younger Jedi's cheek. On Anakin's face a trickle of blood ran from his forehead down his other cheek and a nasty lumpy bruise was forming from its origin just beneath the hairline. Obi-Wan became concerned about a concussion and had renewed urgency to awaken his friend.

"C'mon Anakin, you HAVE to wake up!" Obi-Wan shouted as he now shook the young Knight's chest and shoulder area. He was careful not to shake too harsly in case of internal injuries, but he had to find a way to stir his comrade out of the sleep he was currently in.

Waiting a few moments, Obi-Wan glanced over at the waves slamming the shore in a frothy surf. He tore a piece of cloth from his own robe and ran towards it. Soaking the cloth in the cool water, he then returned to Anakin and beaded it over the young man's face. When Anakin suddenly gave a slight stir, Obi-Wan grabbed a smelling saltz from his utility belt, snapped it open, and hovered it just under Anakin's nose. The pungent smelling chemical did its job. Anakin's nose wrinked then all his senses shot into consciousness. He groaned and shoved Obi-Wan's arm away from his face.

"Good. You're not dead yet." Obi-Wan replied through a sigh of relief.

Anakin's dazed blue eyes tried to focus on his comrade, but squinted instead. "That STANK!" Then Anakin groaned again. "My head really hurts."

"Must mean you really do have something in there. Otherwise, it probably wouldn't. And that 'stank' isn't as bad as yourself." Obi-Wan joked trying to keep Anakin awake and alert. "You may have a concussion so don't try to---" Obi-Wan started, but had to stop as Anakin popped the safety harness and tried to stand. He flopped out of the fighter and face first into the type of surface he hated most---sand.

"Hey!" Obi-Wan protested as he tried to grab his friend to prevent the fall, but the unexpected awkwardness of the move sent him off-balance too. Both were now seated in the sand. Anakin groaned and rolled sideways into an almost fetal position.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Anakin moaned.

"It's the bump on your head causing it. What I didn't finish saying was don't try to stand or move. But no, you had to be a stupid nerf and go and do it."

After a few moments of silence, Anakin spoke again. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?"

"I'm in sand aren't I? I HATE sand!"

"I tried to tell you to stay in the cockpit." Obi-Wan stated with a motherly tone.

"But I'm in SAND!"

Anakin groaned and whined some more. Obi-Wan figured the young man was healing faster than expected.

Elsewhere...

Feh'ler's ship remained cloaked as the Slave I patrolled the airspace around the planet. It had shot to pieces the remaining hyperspace ring of the other Jedi starfighter. Now, neither Jedi, if still alive could exit via hyperspace. She had witnessed both Jedi starfighters entering the planet's atmosphere and neither fighter seemed to be in a relaxed entrance. With both Jedi Knights assumed out-of-commission, Feh'ler was on the defensive. She had to bide her time and play the scene carefully. Remaining cloaked, she slinked her ship towards the dark side of the planet, away from the fallen Jedi.

to be continued... 


	4. Chapter 4

disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters are owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Pre-ROTS during the Clone Wars

_Author's Notes: I should have mentioned this back in Chapter 1 but I forgot, so I'm doing it now. When I refer to the inhabitants or property of Naboo, I use the term "Naboonian" rather than "Nubian" which is often used by Star Wars writers. This is due to the fact that I also write fics in another series in an ancient Egyptian setting and there actually was a race of people called "Nubians." So, to prevent confusion on my part and in respect to the actual race of humans, I changed the term though a fic or two of mine may use "Nubian" as it is indeed easier to say and write. But still...I'm trying not to forget my own principles on the matter. Now onto the was-delayed-as-expected chapter 4._

**If Banthas Could Fly...Part 4**

_Planetside..._

Kenobi and Skywalker camped a night at Anakin's crash site so Anakin could recover from his minor injuries.

"I feel as though I was stomped on by a Bantha."

"Your astromech looks as though it was. I thought you treated R2 as if he were your child." Obi-Wan joked.

"Well yours is no worse for wear. You abandoned yours." Anakin shot back sarcastically.

"I didn't abandon it, I merely left it with the ship so I could save your sorry behind. What's the score now? I think I'm catching up."

Anakin said nothing. His response was the gob of sand sent into Obi-Wan's direction.

"Oh, now we're back throwing things again in a little temper tantrum. Must I remind you of the lecture that a Jedi knows not anger?"

"Must I remind you of what I said I'd do if you gave me yet another lecture about that?"

"You never learned it, Anakin.Your hot-headed tantrums and angst are going to get the better of you if you don't master them soon." Obi-Wan replied as he returned to his cooking. "Here, it's breakfast." he said as he handed Anakin a cup of the steaming broth.

Anakin, always a willing participant when it came to food took a gulp...then made a face. "A lesson you never learned Master--how to cook."

"I can't sing either, but does that stop me from trying?"

"I wish it would." Anakin shot back then turned for another look back at his ship. "Hopefully there's a parts shop somewhere on this planet."

"You and me both. My ship isn't in the best of shape now either." Obi-Wan replied solemnly.

"Do you think it was Feh'ler? Both of us crashed on-planet yet she is still up there somewhere." Anakin inquired.

"No sense in assuming anything Anakin. _Slave I _was also in the vicinity. Feh'ler said the Fett ship was her enemy too."

"Bounty hunters sometimes work together for a common prize." Anakin stated matter-of-factly.

"Good hunter bad hunter?"

"Perhaps."

"Regardless Anakin, our first task is to deal with our present situation. Our fighters are damaged and the hyperspace rings destroyed. Is your comm intact shipside? Mine was destroyed on impact."

"No. Guess it's another suggestion I'll have for the engineers of the Eta-2 upon return to Coruscant. Nose impacts short out the comm units too quickly. They need to relocate comm wirings more aft, perhaps behind the pilot's chair."

"If you weren't a Jedi, I think you'd be some high-ranked, high-paid engineering nerf."

"Ah, but engineers don't get the good looking girls."

"Neither do Jedi."

"But at least we get to use all the fun tricks of the trade." Anakin said as he took another sip of broth and winced. "This goes down harder than an oversize bantha in a rancor's mouth."

"Then dinner is your turn."

_Back in orbit..._

Feh'ler remained cloaked, allowing her ship to drift within high orbit of the planet. She'd witnessed both Jedi ships go planetside in great peril. _Slave I_ was still within her vicinity. She could do nothing but allow the other bounty hunter to make the first move. Then something flashed across her comm screen:

_Suggest surrender if you're smart. Know you're out there. Fett._

She typed a response back.

_You'll get my ship when I have your naughty little behind over my knee whelp._

She smirked at her own response. The kid was bold, but he was also youthfully reckless. It was the only thing that kept the device out of his hands for this long. With neither Jedi available to her now, all she had left was her own wits. She watched the _Slave I_ move about erractically then begin firing lasers into random areas. Foolish. Feh'ler grinned deviously. Fett might be an up and coming bounty hunter, but he had yet to learn that even cloaked vessels still have protective shields. Suddenly a laser bolt bounced off her ship's very shields.

See you now! came a typed response. Feh'ler's grin dropped. Okay, maybe the boy wasn't so stupid. The rebound of laser fire also could indicate a hidden ship. _Slave I_ had immediately altered trajectory and was fast speeding in her ships direction.

_You Jedi had better have survived those impacts!_ Feh'ler thought as she dove her cloaked ship planetside and fired all thrusters.

Obi-Wan and Anakin were busy in conversation and taking inventory of what they had and what they didn't when they heard the faint scream of a ship rushing in from above.

"That would be Feh'ler." Obi-Wan stated matter-of-factly.

"There's another ship in pursuit by the sounds. Guess that would be Fett." Anakin replied. "Any plan?"

"Patience."

"And why?" Anakin inquired with a teasing raised brow.

"Because this whole situation is probably coming to us. Why waste energy."

"You're getting lazy in your old age Master."

"Old? That's something you'll never see if you continue along your present course."

"Couldn't imagine myself with grey hairs anyway Master." Anakin replied as he stood and unhooked his lightsaber from its belt clip and dropped his cloak.

Obi-Wan merely shook his head as he did the same.

Boba had no idea exactly where the ship was, but its heat output was a very obvious trail to follow. He grinned when he noticed the life form reading on another scanner. The two Jedi had survived their crashes. That was good. Live Jedi fetched higher pay outputs than dead ones, especially when they were Kenobi and Skywalker. Though inwardly, Boba had a personal grudge against these two Knights. They had led to his father's demise afterall. But, a bounty hunter with a mission had to set aside personal reasons and focus on successful completion of said mission. Besides, he could always kill one and leave the other alive. Therefore, both his boss and his own self could be satisfied.

Feh'ler had also noted the two defensive Jedi life forms on her scanner. Unsure if she should draw them in or lead Fett away, she opted for the former. They were legends Kenobi and Skywalker...they could handle anything!

"I STILL have a headache." Anakin muttered.

"And you're still in sand. Any more observations oh mighty hero?" Obi-Wan teased.

"Fett's lasers will fire upon you first. How's that?"

"What makes you think---" Obi-Wan replied but was cut short when he had to immediately lunge towards the ground below. Anakin had already ignited his lightsaber and took refuge behind a large jutting boulder. Obi-Wan sputtered out the mouthful of sand and scrambled to another nearby boulder. He didn't bother to ask his former Padawan how he managed to get that correct. He already knew.

"Feh'ler's overshot us! She's leading him somewhere."

"Back at us likely. That was just a heads up warning for us that she was being pursued."

"It was obvious. She didn't need to do that."

"She's not a Jedi, Anakin. She was assuring herself, not us."

"Fett really doesn't like you does he Master?"

"That obvious?"

"Perhaps you could _negotiate_ a truce? At least until my headache subsides? Hard to concentrate when I'm seeing double and an entire bantha herd is stampeding within my head."

"And why should everything convenience you?"

"Because I'm SPECIAL." Anakin laughed. "Ouch. Don't make me laugh. Hurts more."

Obi-Wan was about to speak, but both silenced as they heard the whine of engines once again.

"They're coming around." Anakin stated.

"Feh'ler's still cloaked. Fett must be following heat signatures. He's dropped back a bit by the sounds."

Anakin didn't respond. He was already climbing a tree. Obi-Wan stared in amused curiousity. What was Skywalker up to now? When he couldn't quite guess the plan, he had to inquire.

"What are you doing Anakin? Hiding?"

"Preparing." came a voice from high above. Leaves rustled and branches squeaked as the Jedi Knight climbed higher still.

"For what?" Obi-Wan shouted.

"Just...wait...right...there!"

Suddenly it hit Obi-Wan...he was BAIT yet again!

The faint whoosh and air wafted by Feh'ler's cloaked ship tousled Obi-Wan's hair as it zoomed by unseen. He had full view of the _Slave I_ however. It was coming directly at him. Its trajectory would take it skimming right over...

The telltale sound of a lightsaber activating and slicing metal resounded over Feh'ler's diminishing engines. One of the _Slave I_'s atmospheric wing panels shot downward and landed just meters away from Kenobi's standing form with a solid thunk. As the _Slave I_ buzzed by without a shot, Obi-Wan noticed that its pilot was likely too busy trying to keep his ship from careening into the ground, having been destablilzed by Skywalker's well placed saber strike.

Moments later and not far away, a loud splash was heard. _Slave I_ had crashed somewhere along the same beachfront the two Jedi had.

Anakin Force-lept down from the tree. A large grin of satisfaction upon his lips.

"You enjoyed that didn't you?" Obi-Wan asked with a small grin of his own.

"Had good bait." Anakin laughed back.

"And what's next on your agenda, _Hero_?"

"That's for you to decide. You're the Master. I'm just a Knight."

"Glad to see you decided to include my voluntary input this time."

"I included you last time. You were BAIT."

"You didn't ask me to be bait did you, Anakin?"

"Well, no but..."

"I did not volunteer to be bait did I?"

"Well, no but...you do it so well!"

Obi-Wan shot his partner a stern finger. It was time for less jokes, more action. Anakin promptly followed without a word. Action was his speciality anyway. He ordered R2 to remain hidden near the ship as he and Kenobi sped down the beachside in the direction of Fett's downed ship.

Skyward, Feh'ler saw the _Slave I_ drop from her sensory screens. She didn't see how, but the Jedi must have managed some sort of distraction. Slowing her speed, she cautiously arced her ship back towards the two Knights and remained on alert for Fett. The young Mandalorian bounty hunter wouldn't give up his quarry so easily. Anything could happen at any given moment.

And within the now waterlogged _Slave I_...

Boba looked about increduously. He had miscalculated the tactics of the Jedi. Obsessed with a chance at destroying Kenobi, he had lost track of Skywalker. And it was Skywalker who had brought his precious ship down. That Jedi Knight would pay for such an act! But first and foremost, he had to keep his ship from sinking further into the sand-mucked surf. The tide was rising and if the ship wasn't safely moved before high tide, it would go under completely and become nothing more than salvageable parts. Boba swore and kicked a stubborn piece of paneling. There was no way he was going to be marooned on a planet with those two Jedi! With time against him, the young bounty hunter quickly pried panels and wiring away and wasted no time in making emergency repairs.

to be continued... 


	5. Chapter 5

disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters are owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Pre-ROTS during the Clone Wars

_Author's Notes: Sorry for the lengthy delays between updates. Darth Real Life has me running backwards and forwards at the same time. Typical this time of year...too much to do and no time whatsoever to get it all done. I really do appreciate your patience and hopefully, at some point, the amount of my spare time to write,etc._

_This chapter is a bit short and a fast read...a lot of conversation...but hey, at least it's an update right?_

**If Banthas Could Fly...Part 5**

_Beachside..._

Boba was buried in repairs when the two Jedi discovered his crash landing location. Using hand signals and other 'quiet' methods, Skywalker and Kenobi closed in on the teenage bounty hunter's ship.

Once Anakin was in a secluded position and capable of striking, Obi-Wan announced their presence to the still-unaware teen.

"Uh, hello there!" Obi-Wan greeted enthusiastically from behind the young bounty hunter.

Boba was momentarily stunned. He didn't expect the two Jedi to trail him so quickly. He smacked his head atop a panel as he tried to seek out his helmet that was no longer where he had laid it.

"Looking for this?" Anakin spoke from the top of the ship's hull, twirling the bounty hunter's helmet in his hand. He had used the Force to quietly lift the helmet away from the teen.

"Leave me Jedi. I have no quarrel with you at the moment."

"No quarrels with you either, but Skywalker here doesn't take kindly to you firing upon those he deems friends." Obi-Wan spoke.

"Feh'ler is no friend of yours nor mine. She is only friend to herself and does whatever she can to promote that." Boba spoke, still continuing on his repairs rather than facing the Jedi. He was outnumbered and on the defensive. His father had taught him how to deal with that scenario and it took patience and a little buying of time. The two Jedi confronting him were known to be the best of the best. It was far wiser to seek an out rather than antagonize them further...at least until a new advantage could be found and the tables could be turned.

"But that is the Bounty Hunter's Creed. Oneself first. Others last. I've been around your type before Boba. Tatooine is full of creeps like you." Anakin spoke as he studied Boba's helmet more closely. "Mandalorian design. Like Jango's. What do you hope to accomplish by following in his footsteps?"

"More than you ever will Jedi."

"Revenge from Geonosis I bet. Growing up alone isn't an easy feat. But you make it worse upon yourself by choosing this profession. Why not do something more worthwhile with your skills like fly for the Republic?"

"Because I'd have to rub noses with Jedi scum like you!"

"Rub noses? Hear that Master, Boba thinks we _rub noses!_"

"Guess he wouldn't want to hear the OTHER part then." Obi-Wan joked as Anakin drew ever closer to Boba.

"Wanna know something...I COULD fix that for you. Make this whole situation go away."

"And what's in it for you?"

"Just a little information. Nothing more."

"I could be well off and retire early if I took you two in. The bounty on your heads would more than pay for a grand lifestyle."

"Oh, I'm sure. So, tell me, Boba...who wants us so badly? You? Someone else?"

"Not my authority to give."

"So not you hmm? A Hutt perhaps? Or the Separtists? Grievous? Does that name ring any bells in your simple head?"

"Anakin, get information. Don't upset him by calling him names." Obi-Wan interrupted. Anakin was not nearly the negotiator Obi-Wan was, but Anakin spoke better to those who did business in the shadows and away from the laws. So, Obi-Wan allowed his former padawan to take the lead this time.

"He's not much different from me when I was his age Master. Trust me."

"The last time I trusted you Anakin, you nearly had my Jedi butt roasted by laser fire."

Anakin slowly grinned then winked. He had a plan and Obi-Wan just had to let him go with it. With a sigh of defeat, Obi-Wan allowed the younger Jedi to do things his way. He would've one way or the other anyway.

Anakin slid down the ship's sleek side until he was side-by-side with the young bounty hunter. He spoke softly, but with an amused caring hitch to his voice. "It's really not all that complicated...the damage to your ship. No different from rigging a podracer to shatter records and time trials."

"If you wanna fix my ship so bad then why did you damage it in the first place Jedi?"

"Always fun to break things then see if they can be fixed even better."

"Sounds like something a Jedi WOULDN'T do."

"And I never said I was the ideal Jedi now did I?" Anakin replied. "Here, trade you." He continued as he took the tools from the bounty hunter and replaced them with the helmet. Boba was only stupified for a moment however. He knew this Jedi was playing him, but he had never known in any of his teachings a Jedi to do such...unless they were on the so-called Dark Side. But Skywalker wasn't known to be such so the situation was perplexing to say the least. He'd remain on his guard. The two most skilled, deadliest Jedi were in his face and yet they were also the most wanted as well. Perhaps an opportunity would arise...

"Why do you fly this bucket of bolts? Surely if you have your father's skills as a bounty hunter you can afford something a little better than this." Anakin spoke as he messed with the wirings.

"Call it sentimental value. Oh, wait what would you know about that. A Jedi knows not possesions nor attachments."

"Hey, you recite that better than I. Here that Obi-Wan...he knows the creed better than I! Amazing isn't it?"

"Anakin, considering your track record with all things Jedi, it's hardly amazing." Obi-Wan deadpanned.

"See Boba...even Obi-Wan knows me. Wanna know something _kid._..I'm a _special_ case...not like normal Jedi."

"Yeah, you're really weird. Already knew that about you, Skywalker. So what."

"So...I know more about possession and attachment than ANY Jedi. So don't lecture me about it." Anakin spoke sternly.

"And I know more about Feh'ler than you. Would a lecture in that be more pleasing to your ears Jedi?"

"Nah, maybe Kenobi's, but not mine. I'm more action. If she's not as she seems, I'll handle it...MY way."

"You're wasting my time then. Leave me be." Boba replied with growing frustration and impatience. He was fast becoming tired of the company of the two Jedi.

"You're not going anywhere fast in this heap." Anakin commented matter-of-factly.

"And you're not going anywhere in yours either Jedi." Boba replied with a defiant smirk.

"He's got a point there Anakin." Obi-Wan interrupted. "Our ships are in a similar state and I'd rather have you repairing them than this whelp's."

"Since when did I become everybody's maintenance man?"

"Since you brag about your skillful abilities with machines."

"Oh. Fine then." Anakin muttered back to Kenobi before turning back to Boba. "Well, he's the boss so I guess you're on your own kid. Good luck fixing this thing." Anakin replied as he sat the tool kit down, lept from the ship, and landed beside Obi-Wan.

"You're just going to leave?" Boba asked, not really sure why he did, but his mouth didn't always cooperate with his brain.

"You're free to join us, but it comes with a price." Anakin shot back.

"A Jedi dealing? What would your oh so mighty Council think of that eh?"

"Wouldn't be the first time I've faced them in less than friendly circumstances. Now are you interested or not?"

"No."

"Then suit yourself." Anakin waved and followed Obi-Wan away from the ship and back towards their own.

"Think he'll follow?" Obi-Wan whispered.

"Oh yeah. Hook, line, and sinker. I've got this fish snagged good."

"With blasters in hand though."

"He'll try to take us out again. He's a bounty hunter afterall."

"So who's bait?" Obi-Wan uttered.

"You of course."

"Me, of course. Hey, wait...he wants us BOTH. Why me then?"

"Because I'm on his level. You're the straight and true Jedi...easier prey AND a higher rank than I AND a Council Member. Therefore, your bounty is most definitely higher than mine."

"Anakin, one day you will learn that these daredevil schemes of yours will never work."

"But they have worked so far Master."

"Damn your Skywalker luck. One day it will run out on you."

"If you think like that you defeat yourself Master. Stay positive. Trust me."

"You drive me to drink Anakin."

"You were doing that before you met me. Well, at least I'm not the death of you."

"That remains to be seen."

"You really do need to stop thinking like that."

Obi-Wan muttered some inaudible words that Anakin simply shrugged off as a verbal victory for himself. As they returned to their ships, they awaited the young bounty hunter who would no doubt continue his stalking of the two Jedi.

Upon their arrival, Feh'ler decloaked her now landed ship and stepped forward.

"I was wondering if you two would return. Is Boba dead?"

"He's very much alive and probably stalking us as we speak." Obi-Wan replied.

"You let him live?"

"Jedi don't kill unecessarily. He's stranded until he repairs his ship." Obi-Wan continued.

"Don't worry, Obi-Wan's good bait. We'll get him on our terms." Anakin added as Obi-Wan shot him a nasty glare.

"So what do you want me to do?" Feh'ler inquired.

"Stay nearby, but cloaked. We don't want to play our trump card too soon."

"So I'm bait too?"

"Maybe." Anakin smirked.

"Can he be trusted?" Feh'ler asked Obi-Wan as she pointed to the younger Jedi.

Obi-Wan only replied with a shrug and a wink.

_A couple of hours later...as the solar star began its decent below the horizon..._

"Rustling leaves...hear it Obi-Wan?" Anakin whispered quietly from beside his ship. Using the Force, the two Jedi had brought Obi-Wan's fighter beside Anakin's.

Obi-Wan ceased his tinkering and listened. "Sounds like our little hunter is on the prowl again."

"Or some other beastie wanting to make a meal of us."

"Oh, that's an enlightening thought Anakin."

"Look at it this way Master, it could be a meal FOR us. I am hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"I know, but I'm also ever the opportunist. Unfortunately, I'm thinking Boba's nearby rather than some beastie so I guess dinner will have to wait.Or better yet, maybe Boba BROUGHT dinner?" Anakin joked as he reoriented himself under his fighter for a better view of the area of noises.

The rustling soon ceased. Both Jedi double checked that their lightsaber hilts were nearby then continued on with their repairs. Their keen sensing abilities were tuned into every sound even those a normal human ear could not hear. Boba would strike in darkness and silence...just like Jango had always done. But this time, two Jedi were one step ahead of the young bounty hunter.

_to be continued..._


End file.
